The reports of the resident physicians of the County Lunatic Asylum, at Hanwell, to the Epiphany Sessions, 1839 / [Middlesex County Lunatic Asylum].

  • Middlesex Lunatic Asylum at Hanwell.
Date:
1842
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The reports of the resident physicians of the County Lunatic Asylum, at Hanwell, to the Epiphany Sessions, 1839 / [Middlesex County Lunatic Asylum]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    vanageous. The ornamental work, and the occupation, have brought back associations of feeling most salutary. There is every reason to believe, that some of the Patients have, in con¬ sequence of the establishment of this Bazaar, absolutely reco¬ vered; and others are rendered comparatively happy in their confinement. It is so far, too, from being attended with any expense, that the sum of 23/. 18s., which was advanced as a capital, has already been repaid out of the money derived from the sales ; and, in the course of another year, there is no doubt but that a considerable profit will be derived from it to the In¬ stitution : for it is found that there is no want of good feeling amongst the enlightened public to encouiage the Patients in their laudable undertaking. Many, both amongst the men and women, have, during their insanity, been taught at the Asylum various mechanical arts, with which they were before totally unacquainted, and one man, for eighteen months after his leaving the Asylum, partly supported himself by shoe-making, of which he was, when fhst admitted as a Patient, entirely ignorant. Within the year, a species of employment has also been discovered for the imbe¬ cile, and even the mischievous Patients. It is that of picking in pieces the fibres of the outer husk of the Cocoa-nut, which is becoming generally used for the same purposes as horse-haii. Six pounds ten shillings a ton is received for the work ; and the employment saves more than the sum paid for the labour in keeping the Patients from destroying their clothes, and it also renders personal confinement less and less necessary. As an encouragement for those establishments which have hitherto kept their unfortunate inmates in listless indolence to com¬ mence this system of general employment, it may be well to observe, that, within the last few years, it has been adopted in many of the new Institutions, both in England and Scotland,